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Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager

scientific research instrument
Also known as: HMI

Quick Summary

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) is an instrument aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) satellite, launched in 2010 to study the Sun. The HMI specifically investigates changes in the Sun's magnetic field by capturing images of the Sun in polarized light every 50 seconds. This allows scientists to observe solar activity and its effects on space weather. Helioseismology, a related field, uses wave frequencies to map the Sun's internal structure, similar to how seismology studies Earth's interior.12

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